The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-12-28


Two snonfhs ago the high pras--' Of ths
se,n,,le across the creek from the foreign
settlement # Yokohama died and his
hosv was cresnatesl His ashes were
,,Ia,ed in an urn and then in pine box
IN the shape of a miniature temple, and
tht priests from all the dioceses were
summoned 10 take par in the funeral
services The iong interval between the
ae.,h and fnsl riles robbed the affair of
any exhibitions Of poignant griet, and
everything WAS given up 20 the exact
forms and elsborafe ceremonies of the
guddhist funeral ritual The son OF the
hiel, priest saece-ded 70 his fathers ciiioe
bv inheritance, and be prepared himself
for the services by days q fasting and
nrsver. and al the ceremonies. kneli be-
low the officiating priest and wore the
main whit. roi,e- af 4 uiourncF He had
no parf IN the service. aud Wa like
statue until he rose. aEd. taking the NOR
s,,ars tablet from the altar, walked be-
hind the essket from the temple to the
graveyard
The priests cane from near and from
far. some arriving by train on the day
and AZ the hour Of the fuaeral, and hur-
rvinQ 10 the temple, with servants carry
ing bags full Of ceremonial robes at their
heels. slipped their brccades on in the
ante rooul, and joined the solemn COM
pany sitting in rows likes 80 many images
The hundred and odd priests sat at eth
er side Of the altar with the caskei before
il. and for general effect nothing was ey-
er more dazzling than that row Of smooth
faced. shaven-beaded priests in superb
brocade garments which glowed with all
the richest color- and glisiened with gold
thread. The services consisted Of chant
ing BY all the priests in chorus, and in
responses 10 the intoned readings OF the
high priest The big temple drum was
struck II stages Of the chanting, and the
priests PLAYED on an instrument that re-
sembled the bundle Of reeds or pipes
that the god Pan played in Greek my
ihology The noise was harsh, shrill
wall, combining the worst Of bagpipe
and flute melody
They chanfed from open books. and
held plates Of pierced brasswork, from
which they sifted the leaves Of the icho
tree At regular intervals. these leaves be-
ing prayer symbols in the Buddhist
service. While the chanting and pipe
PLAYING WAS going on. the friends Of the
deceased came forward one by one, and
kneeling At the edge Of the mats, pros
trated themselves in prayer, and sprink-
led incense in the large. bronze burner.
Later the incense burned and the box OF
incense was passed before the priest
each one muttering prayer and drop
ping a pinch Of fragrant powder on the
Goals. As ie procession Of priests wound
out through the crowed ward, passed IN
der the heavy gabled gateway and down
the long terrace steps 20 the street
il was brilliant and dazzling spectacle
Their rich brocaded robes sh0ne witt
gold thread, and many Of them were 80
90 and more year, old. heirlooms handed
down from from one priest TO another
and now priceless and impossible TO dn
plicate. The rich soft, old colors, toned
by age, are NJ different from the garnisf
colors Of the modern dye pots as possible
and except in the temple services and a
the great theaters one seldom sees thes'
these old brocades now. An attendan
carried large red umbrella over the hea'
Of each priest, and as the line Of rainbow
color and glisl ening bullion threads cam
down the long terrace steps 1t was fin
picture. As the procession went out tn
long street crowded solidly with Japa
nese, everything was swallowed up AM
hidden hut the red umbrellas. and thes
6amingo signals alone marked the line Q
the funeral train. AZ the graveyar'
there was more chanting, incense, foo'
and flowers were laid az the tomb, an
the ashes Of the high priest were inall
nj rest.